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Apple has taken down two apps from German media, as they were considered offensive. This moves towards censorship could extend to a larger control of editorial content. Do media have to comply? 

Steve Jobs announces that Apple has no intention of supporting Flash sites through iphones and ipads in the future. Claiming that Flash has too many bugs, drains batteries too quickly and is too oriented to PCs. Apple has not intimated that they will offer an alternative solution. Do we believe these reasons, or are there more politics at play here? I'm inclined to think there is something more. Granted Apple does make every attempt to provide its users with a high level of reliability and useability which Flash obviously undermines. Clearly such standards are what differentiates the quality levels of Apple from Mac. The power is with the market then. Will users opt for other devices that do support Flash, or will the Apple brand keep its power despite not supporting the major software brand used to build interactive sites? Interestingly, although Flash is not recognised officially as a 'standard' HTML5 does support certain Flash features. Adobe has commented that it is committed to improving its Flash product.

Apparently the showdown between Adobe and Apple might result in a lawsuit in the weeks to come. Adobe has 95% Web browser market penetration, whilst apparently Apple has a monopoly on mobile applications, to the tune of 99.4% of downloads. It seems like some sort of synergy must be reached between the two companies.

Adobe starts an advertising campaign against Apple! 'We Love Choice' - 'We Love Apple' This is getting hotter and hotter. This is the official reaction from Adobe. 

Another case in which intellectual property rights come into question. Apple is suing HTC for infringement of 20 Apple patents. It is interesting to note, that the majority of handsets which been specified in this case are powered by Google's Android operating system which is open source. I feel that corporations using open sources to power their products need to consider the potential repercussions. Although open source communities tend to operate with an ethic of contribution and collaborative innovation; it is inevitable that ideas and the products which stem from it will crossover from one realm to another, which in turn will lead to a figurative 'stepping on one another's toes' and ensuing law suits. In saying this, it is clear that whether or not it is open source product or not, that cases like this have almost become a symptom of the modern tech-business climate.

Apple vs Flash is used to illustrate protocol as a form of control where end users have no saying and are affected with a partial access to internet

Apple is one of several companies being sued for an alleged iTunes patent breach of an idea which is an online store for music downloads, some of Apple's other applications are also being sued for other patent breaches. Apple's operating Systems & Safari are also being sued by a Monkeymedia for breaching patents which dictate ways of displaying varying amounts of data through user control.

Open Standards vs Cross Platform - it's starting to sound like politics. Confusing. Misleading. Impractical. Constrained.

A good discussion on Apple's view on Flash, following our class discussion on standards and the iPad not supporting Flash.

Came across this article the other day - basically saying that if Adobe wants to prove that Flash can run on iPhones without any major issues, they can simply use iPhones that have been "jailbroken" (meaning they've been hacked and any app can be downloaded - circumventing the App Store). Adobe could create a Flash app to run on the iPhones and prove its points about security and performance of Flash on mobile devices. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2010/may/18/apple-adobe-flash-player-solution

More about the Apple and Adobe issue. After Steve Jobs (Apple) letter about the incompatibility of Flash with the new era of smartphones and touchscreen devices, Adobe will shift its focus away from Apple.

Apple announced that it will be now possible to run different apps on the iPhone at the same time and keep them constantly running in the background. This means for application providers that they coud now constantly get information on the whereabouts of their users instead of the sporadic data they got so far. Exciting new opportunities for Apple's new "iAd" that offers targeted advertising. At the same time there are privacy concerns on several fronts.

Microsoft shares the same point of view on the limitations of the Flash product as Apple. Again, reliability, security and performance were identified as impediments of supporting the flawed software. Speaking about the mobile era Steve Jobs of Apple says 'low power devices, touch interfaces and open web standards...' are areas where Flash is not currently accommodating. It's most interesting to watch powerful market players create pressure for change in the internet space. Adobe can ill afford to ignore these criticisms yet it's now taking opportunity to discredit the motives of the multinationals: "Apple's moves to block Flash and other technologies are designed to protect a business model that locks developers and consumers into a single, proprietary stack," Adobe spokeswoman Holly Campbell said.

Apple's market value has overtaken Microsoft's for the first time ever. Article looks at the impact of Apple and Google on Microsoft in the areas of search, online advertising and music in particular.

After reading the domain name articles this week and discussing cybersquatting in class this seems to be the perfect example of recent cybersquatting!

The evershifting sands of media and content. Theoretically, as McLuhan says, the media is the message. Practically speaking, the world is full of examples of companies (Google/Apple) trying to control both the content and the infrastructure and there becoming very little difference between them.

I believe Apple will not be very happy about this.

Steve Jobs (Apple) and Eric Schmidt (CEO Google)... Publicity stunt to deflect press about legal battles between the two companies'? 

Steve Jobs (Apple) is using the architecture of the iPad and Apple's dominance when it comes to software to try maximize profits and crush competition.

"The ultimate iPad - for $200,000" so, this is really nuts, but kind of funny so thought I would share. Available in the UK, encrusted with 25.5 carats of flawless diamonds, 53 of the gems "dwell beautifully in their solid 22ct Apple logo". Have just placed my order...better hurry, only 10 available.